With new job opportunities opening up in metros and cities far away from home, many young people migrate to take up livelihood there. Most of them are single and they often live alone. There must be steps for single seniors to be taken to be prepared for a health emergency.

But there is also a large population of senior citizens, too, who live alone either because their children have migrated or because their life partners are no longer alive. In such circumstances, they need to take extra precautions to make sure that any medical emergency they face is addressed on time.

So, here’s how senior citizens who are single can prepare themselves for a health emergency.

Stay In Touch With Neighbours And Close Relatives

In metros, people do not have time to keep in touch with their neighbours. Most people go to the office in the day and come back late at night. There is certainly a lack of time in many cases, but you should try and go the extra mile in befriending your neighbours. Weekends can be a suitable time to do this. If you have close relatives in the same city, go and meet them to maintain the relationship. Retirees can also join senior citizen clubs or local communities to stay in touch with the local people.

Stay In Touch With the Family Doctor

If you have a family doctor, stay in touch with them and keep their number handy for emergency situations. Also, if your friends or relatives are doctors, take their numbers and keep them handy, too. Timely advice, even remote, can make an enormous difference in emergency medical situations.

Save Emergency Contact Numbers On Your Phone

Save emergency contact numbers on your phone. You could misplace numbers written in a notebook. So, save it on your phone and in the cloud. This way, even when you change your phone, the number doesn’t get lost. The emergency contact numbers should be of your doctor, insurance company or agent, ambulance, medical store, and any relative or friend who can rush in to your help.

Keep Health Policy Handy

Needless to say, a health policy is a necessity for everyone. But what makes it more important for singles is that you need to refer to it mostly on your own in case of need. Also remember to keep the list of hospitals that are mentioned in your health policy.

Many a times, people have health policies, but do not have the list of hospitals handy. So, they end up going to a non-supported hospital and end up spending money despite having health insurance.

Have Right Information About Hospitals And Their Speciality

Every city has a few hospitals which are known for their great medical service and treatment. Collect such information in advance so that you do not have to scurry over it at the last moment.

Besides these, also maintain adequate liquidity (cash) at home, and do remember to keep your close friends and relatives updated about your health condition. If you feel unwell, then do not hesitate to immediately contact your doctor.

The author is an Independent Financial Journalist